Agenda item

(1)       Mr Hill and Mr Tilson presented a report which consulted the Committee on the budget proposals for the Customer and Communities portfolio, with reference to the draft KCC budget published on 20December 2011. Mr Hill commended officers for achieving a balanced budget.

(2)       Mr Hill and Officers answered questions and noted comments from Members which included the following:-

·        In response to a question on business rates for Youth Centres and the sum identified for this in the Budget, Mr Tilson explained that as there was a potential change in the legislation which was not within the authority’s ability to control, this sum had been set aside as a prudent measure in case the exemption currently afforded to Youth Centres was removed.

·        Reference was made to an increase in the Youth Service’s budget for 2012/13.  The Budget Book actually showed a slight increase whereas the discussions about the Youth Service had talked about savings. Mr Tilson stated that the increase in expenditure was due to the Youth Opportunities Fund and how this allocation of the Early Intervention Grant (EIG) was now being shown within the base budget of the service. This expenditure had always been made by the Youth Service but in the past this budget, had been an in-year transfer from Education, Learning and Skills (previously Children’s Families and Education) to Customer and Communities.  This year the EIG had been split between Directorates and added to their base budgets which made it look as though the net budget had increased.

·        Mr Tilson explained that the budget to carry out enhancement and maintenance work on youth centres (and property occupied by Customer and Community Services more generally) was still available to carry out necessary works but was now in one centralised budget within Corporate Landlord. The pressures had not been passported to another department as the funding went along with the demand. 

·        Mr Tilson confirmed that budget information on the Beaney and Kent History Centre projects would remain in the Medium Term Financial Plan until the projects were completed and would therefore continue to be monitored for the next year.

·        Regarding the Stronger Safer Communities Fund, Mr Tilson explained that there was a reduction in funding from the Home Office over the past three years and that in 2010/11 and 2011/12 reductions had been shown in the MTFP presented to Cabinet. This funding was passed to District/Borough Councils, with the County Council acting as a conduit so no saving had actually been delivered by the authority.

·        In relation to the saving of £7m to be achieved in the Supporting People budget, £4m of which would be delivered in 2012/13 with £3m already delivered in 2011/12, Ms Honey confirmed that this was achievable.  Ms Slaven explained that this saving would be achieved over two years by adjusting the value of contracts, modifying the levels of service and in one instance reducing the duration that the floating support service could be accessed from two years currently to one year.  There would not be a reduction in the number of people able to access the service and this was to be achieved through better commissioning of services and working with providers in a different way. She confirmed that the service was on target to deliver the £7m saving.

(3)      RESOLVED that the comments by Members and the revenue and capital budget proposals for the Customer and Communities portfolios be noted.

(Mr Tolputt declared a personal interest as a Governor of a Youth Centre)